First words. First steps. With these two feathers in the toddler's
cap, or nearly so, the learning game becomes more exciting than ever before.
The world is growing by leaps and bounds; give your toddler a chance to
explore and learn about it, and promote his or her continued physical,
social, intellectual, and emotional development, by offering the following:

Scribbling with crayons provides tremendous satisfaction for many
babies. Taping the paper to a table, the floor, or an easel will keep it
from sliding all over, and confiscating the crayons as soon as they are
applied where they shouldn't be or if baby decides to chew on one will
help tech their proper use. Don't allow pens and pencils, except under
close supervision, since the sharp points can spell disaster if baby falls
on either one. Finger painting can be fun for some, while others are uncomfortable
with muddy fingers that are an occupational hazard of the art. Although
hand washing demonstrates that the condition is only temporary, some children
continue resisting the medium. Musical toys can be fun, too. Baby can also
learn to improvise musically, with a wooden or metal spoon on a pot bottom,
for instance, if you demonstrate first.

Babies love to put things in and take them out although the latter
skill develops before the former. You can buy putting-and-taking toys,
or just use objects around the house such as empty boxes, wooden spoons,
measuring cups, paper cups and plates, and napkins. Fill a basket with
a variety of small items (but not small enough for baby to mouth and choke
on) for starters. Be ready to do most of the putting in until baby becomes
much more proficient. Sand and water allow for putting in and taking out
in the form of pouring - and most toddlers love both materials but they
require constant supervision.

Usually long before babies can say circle, square or triangle, they
have learned to recognize these shapes and can put them in the proper opening
in a shape-sorter toy. These toys also teach manual dexterity and, in some
cases, colours. Be aware, however, that baby may need many demonstrations
and much assistance before mastery of shape sorters is achieved.

Toys that require turning, twisting, pushing, pressing, and pulling
encourage children to use their hands in a variety of ways. Many parental
demonstrations may be needed before babies are able to handle some of the
more complicated manoeuvres, but once mastered, these toys provide hours
of concentrated play.

These teach many concepts, and allow the joy of water play without
a mess all over the floor or furniture. The bathtub is also a good place
for blowing bubbles - but you'll probably have to do the blowing yourself
for a while yet.

Daddy starts clapping, then mummy. Baby is encouraged to follow suit.
Then daddy flaps his arms, and mummy does, too. After a while, baby will
follow the leader without prodding, and eventually will be able to take
the lead.

You can't have a live horse, elephant, and lion in your living room
- but you can have all of them, and more, visit your home in a book or
magazine. Look at and read books with your baby several times durng the
day. Each reading session will probably be short, maybe no more than a
few minutes, because of your child's limited attention span, but together
they will build a firm foundation for later enjoyment of reading.

Toy dishes, kitchen equipment, pretend food, play houses, trucks
and cars, hats, grown-ups' shoes, sofa cushions - almost anything can be
magically transformed in an imaginative toddler's world of make believe.
This kind of play develops social skills as well as fine motor co-ordination
(putting on and taking off clothing, scrambling eggs or cooking soup),
creativity, and imagination.

Babies love to climb steps (when you're not supervising, a gate is
a must), clamber up a slide (stay right behind, just in case), manoeuvre
onto a low chair or on and off the bed. Let them - but stand by and be
ready to come to the rescue if need be.

The baby who sees nothing but the inside of his or her own home,
the family car, and the supermarket is going to be a very bored. There's
an exciting world outside the door, and your baby should see it daily.
Even going out in the rain or snow (barring flooding and blizzard conditions)
can be a learning experience. Give your baby a tour of area playgrounds,
parks, or other busy areas with lots of people to see.

The excerpt is taken from a extract from a very popular book for
new mothers called "What to Expect the First Year"*. This translation
will help expat parents train their Indonesian maids/baby sitters to stimulate
young children by giving them ideas and activities to help understand the
developmental needs of toddlers.

I compiled this information because I was concerned that my Indonesian
nanny just followed my son around when I was out and didn't make many attempts
to stimulate him in my absence. Since highlighting and discussing a variety
of activities with my child minder, I now come home and find my son has
been busy reading, playing with shape sorters, painting and/or drawing.